13 Levels: The Journey of Archangel Michael

By Harry Chong

"13 Levels" is an epic, fantastical, religious-fantasy novel, with strong influences of Dante's Inferno, and Homer's Odyssey. It begins with a wise, old man (simply called the prophet) who tells his students about the thirteen levels.

 

According to the prophet, a very long time ago, there were thirteen levels of existence in which individuals were given the chance to literally become gods. However, when the gods became too many, and too oppressive to the world, God Himself declared war against them all.

 

And so begins the journey of the warrior who came from the abyss: archangel Michael. With the company of the four horsemen, Michael has the (seemingly) impossible task of battling through the strange lands of the gods in order to save humanity.

 

Visiting places like heaven, hell, and even Asgard, the archangel Michael meets, and fights against many different deities from Anubis to the mighty Zeus. Beleaguered by numerous perils, and challenges, Michael and his four horsemen must use every bit of their powers to battle millions of gods, and even the infamous, red devil.

 

When Michael reaches the point of no return, he enters the greatest war of all time, a war to end all wars, a war called: Armageddon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harry Chong
• Release date: Aug 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223230564

Book preview

Chapter 1: The Prophet

I am the prophet. There is a third-eye in my forehead that only I, and others like me can see. This third-eye has given me both wisdom, and frightening knowledge of the universe.

Today, I was upon a green hill, where I sat on a smooth, flat stone under the shade of an enormous tree. I was teaching my pupils about the meaning of life.

I told them about the thirteen levels of existence that used to exist until God, and Jesus Christ saved us all.

Long ago, so long ago that it cannot be counted, we the living could experience as much as thirteen levels of existence. However, within these levels were unforgiving cruelty – a tortuous journey to heaven.

As the pupils listened with ears, and eyes wide open, I explained to them in detail the different levels that once were.

Level 0 – This is your beginning. Some call it the abyss, a place that occupies no space, being neither here nor there. It is called a level yet it is somehow not.

Level 1 – After the creation of the soul, a soul enters into hell. It will arise from the muck, and become a crude, misshapen creature filled with base desires. In hell, a world that looks underground, and cavernous, creatures are taught about the thirteen levels, the journey they must take to grow, and elevate themselves. If they survive the harshness of hell, they go on to Level 2.

Level 2 – Earth. This is where we are born again. We are here to grow, and develop our personalities. Much like a school, it is a place of learning. Though today, many do not know this. It seems we are born, and do not know what it is all for. We are born, and immediately lost.

However, in the past, as Earthlings, we used to know about the thirteen levels of existence, and the journey we had to take to get into heaven, and beyond. But when God, and Jesus caused there to only be three levels of existence (the abyss, Earth, and heaven) we lost all of this knowledge.

Levels 3 to 7 – These are the battlegrounds, where you must fight for survival, and dominance. Like a game, you must pass all the challenges to ascend into heaven. Not something we modern humans are familiar with as Jesus Christ, with his crucifixion, abolished these. He opened the gates, and allowed us to go directly to heaven after dying. For those who failed in being worthy of heaven, second chances would be given. Back to Earth for those who require it.

Level 8 – Heaven. The ultimate goal for most. An Earth-like world, where you have eternal life, and live without sickness, and injury.

Level 9 to 12 – Super battlegrounds. Levels of existence not for ordinary individuals. These super battlegrounds exist to create gods. Those who dare enter these levels, those who dare fight against the most menacing challenges in the universe, have the chance of becoming god.

Level 13 – Godly grounds. This is where God, and all the other gods used to reside. There were in the past many, many, many gods. Millions of gods, in fact. These gods were selfish, and unkind, and would torture humanity for their own amusement – that is until God, the God we know, destroyed them all in an unparalleled war.

After this war, God extirpated the battlegrounds, and the godly grounds. Victory, however, was not the only outcome. This war with the gods, and all that followed was so epic, and taxing that God had lost much of his strength, and power.

The reason God rarely answers our prayers, giving us help, is because he remains exhausted from the war against the millions of gods. It is not that He does not care. Oh, he cares.

But God had to fight for us, and win the greatest war in all of history. And in war, everyone loses, even the victors.

I explained to my pupils that the world we now know exists because of God's battle against the gods, and that he sent his only son to Earth to make the ultimate sacrifice so that we only experience three (necessary) levels of existence.

No more do we have to enter the battlegrounds. No more can fools become gods... Most importantly, no more hell.

As the sun was shining on my face, I gave books to all of my pupils. These books were all the same, the story of Michael the famed Archangel. It was a story about his journey through the thirteen levels of existence.

Chapter 2: Level Zero, The Abyss

In the beginning, there was (seemingly) nothing. But this nothingness was unnatural. For how could there be nothing if there isn't something? Nothing can only exist if there is something, and so the universe had to begin.

A space, which the human mind cannot comprehend, began to expand, and in this came something that looked like a single spot of light. This first light was God, though not God as we know Him now.

God, in this empty space, called this the abyss. The abyss was a place that could not be sensed. It could not be touched, smelled, tasted, heard, or seen. It just was. Here in the abyss, God became lonely.

He decided to create someone to keep him company. Thus, he invented the soul, or some call it the spirit. The first soul was the devil.

Why create the devil? God did not want to create someone exactly like Himself. To Him that would not alleviate loneliness. It would be like looking in a mirror. He wanted someone who was the opposite, someone that would be what He was not.

God, and the devil had many a conversations but not in the way that you, and I converse. Speaking, and languages had not yet been created. They only exchanged images, and feelings to communicate.

Being opposites, God, and the devil did not get along. Eventually, God grew wary of the devil, and decided he did not want him around anymore. They moved apart from each other, and God became lonely again.

God decided to create another soul. This soul was Michael. Michael was very much like God but not exactly. This made God not feel lonely.

Michael told God that he should create more souls, and so He did just that. Soon, in the abyss, there was an army of souls. These souls, however, were not enough.

These souls were only an essence, something incomplete. They needed bodies, and worlds to experience.

So, God with all his powers created worlds, and bodies for all these souls. Earth, and heaven were made. Earth would be a place to grow, and learn, after which came heaven as a reward for one's goodness, and experiencing the difficulties of Earth.

Both Michael, and God were satisfied. The devil, being the opposite of God, was not. The devil returned to God, and tricked God into creating the thirteen levels of existence.

The devil persuaded God that the souls he created should have the chance to become a god like He was. It was unfair that they didn't have that chance.

God agreed to that.

The devil also persuaded God that there should be more challenges for his souls, that Earth, and heaven were not enough.

God agree to that, too.

The devil tried persuading God again, telling Him that these souls should be punished for their wrongdoings. And God did not want to make a hell as proposed.

The devil lashed out at God, and attacked Him. Angered, God changed his decision, and decided to create a hell – and the one who would live there would be the devil as a punishment.

With His mighty hand, God sent the devil to hell to live for an eternity, and the archangel Michael was assigned the task of ensuring that he remain there.

Chapter 3: Level One,  Hell

Hell was level one. Hell was the bottom. It was a dim, underground place that looked like a giant cavern. Much like a cavern, there was no easy way out of here.

In hell, Michael stood by the devil, and made sure that he did not leave. The devil, who had made a throne out of brown rock, sat idly, and hoped that Michael would go away.

Even though Michael was as strong as the devil, the devil (being the opposite of God) was cunning, and had numerous tricks. He was the inventor of lies, deceit, and all that is wrong with humanity.

Michael, on the other hand, could not comprehend these things. His strength was also his weakness. His morality, his goodness, his closeness to God, made him vulnerable to the devil.

The devil believed he could always get his way by being crafty.

Michael, said the devil, are you not bored watching over me?

I am bored, said Michael, but it is my duty, and I will never not do it.

Have you seen the humans? said the devil. Don't they live exciting lives...? Would you not like to be like them?

I have seen the humans, said Michael, and they do seem to have exciting lives. But I must be here.

The devil shook his head. Michael asked why.

You don't have to watch over me, said the devil. If you leave, and turn into a human, to be on Earth, I will stay here. I won't leave. I promise.

Michael was such a good angel that he saw good in everyone, even the devil. He had some trust in the fiend.

Is this true? said Michael.

The devil smiled, and nodded.

Let me turn you into a human, said the devil.

Can I not do it myself? Michael asked.

No, you need my help, said the devil. 

Very well, said Michael. Turn me into a human.

The devil stood up, and put out his palm. A red beam came out of his palm, and hit Michael. Michael, instead of becoming human, became a large, bright green, slug-like creature. Michael looked at himself in a pool of stale water, and saw what he had become.

What am I? he said.

You are now a creature of hell, said the devil.

Turn me back into what I once was, said Michael.

You fool, I will not be doing that, the devil replied.

Michael was saddened, and cried. He was a man with wings, and now a horrid, slimey creature. The tears that came out of Michael, however, were no ordinary tears. The moment after they dropped to the ground, God knew he was in distress.

In the abyss, God created souls, and sent them to hell to rescue Michael. These souls arrived in hell, and they arose from the muck. Because their bodies were created from the muck of hell, they were hideous monsters like Michael.

The souls were bright in unnatural color, being bright yellow, bright green, bright orange, bright red, and so on. They looked like obese slugs, worms, and other slimey, creepy, crawly things.

They could do nothing to help Michael. But God kept on sending souls to hell to help the archangel.

The devil laughed at Michael's sadness, and laughed at all the sad looking creatures. Though God created hell, hell had become under the devil's control. There was misery, sadness, and even anger abound.

The creatures would fight with one another, and eat one another. The bigger ones, with their sharp teeth, would eat the smaller ones. Nobody was safe, even Michael had to fight.

Finally, God visited hell. He knew something was wrong. This was the first meeting of God, and the devil in the human-like form that we are familiar with.

Sit, said the devil.

A chair made of rock arose from the ground.

I know of your trickery, said God. I shall choose to stand.

For what reason do you visit? said the devil.

I want you to release these beings so that I may take them to heaven, said God.

And what do I gain from this? said the devil.

Nothing, said God.

I don't like the sound of that, said the devil.

And the devil, and God argued back, and forth. It was agreed upon that if God continued sending souls to hell, the devil would give them a chance of being placed onto Earth, but if they were sinful on Earth, they'd quickly return to hell.

Only would they get into heaven if they were good, and they battled through levels 3 to 7, and won. For those of the middle or near it, second chances, reincarnation, was available.

Most importantly here, God was not allowed to help anyone.

But why, why all of this arduous complexity? This was only for the devil's amusement. He immensely enjoyed the suffering of others. With his trickery, he made the universe more complicated, and depressing than it needed to be.

Though God was extremely powerful, he was not so powerful that He could do whatever He wanted with the devil. He had to negotiate.

And what of Michael? God asked the devil while surrounded by strange, hideous, slimey creatures who were carefully watching.

I did not like Michael watching over me, said the devil. He must be treated like the others. So, if he survives hell, he shall go to Earth, and be human. Be human, and suffer as they do, going through all the different levels to get into heaven.

I do not agree to this, said God. I came here for Michael.

You have no choice, said the devil. I am in control here. I have used all my powers to be the ruler of hell. Outside of hell, you have more power, but here you are below me. You must take my offer, or go, and leave empty-handed.

Michael, who was a giant slug, stared up at God. God looked back with sympathy in his eyes. God loved Michael so much that He agreed to the devil's strange terms.

Very well, God said to the devil. I will give you your wishes, but remember you can be weakened.

I'm not afraid, was the reply.

You know that sometimes fear is a positive, said God.

The devil shook his head.

Now, we must sign the contract, said the devil. Words from the mouth alone are worthless.

Next, the devil produced a contract which he, and God were to sign. The contract was a mile long, and had words that were not even present in any human language.

After God read this contract, and made few changes, he dipped an angel feather into ink made of angel tears, and signed the very long paper. The devil used his tail as a pen but signed using blood.

It is done, said God.

Do as you have promised, said the devil.

God nodded, and waved his hand. This motion granted what the devil had asked for. Now, all God had to do was wait to see Michael again as an angel.

Goodbye, devil, said God, and He instantaneously vanished.

The devil laughed having gotten what he wanted.

Chapter 4: Level One,  More Hell

And so, Michael as a giant slug, remained in hell with the devil, and all the other frightful creatures who were formed by the muck of hell.

Here the creatures were in such agony, made worse by the fact they constantly fought. They hurt each other, and ate each other like wild animals. There was no rhyme, or reason to it. They didn't even get pleasure from this. Eating another was not pleasurable. Everyone tasted disgusting.

Yes, they were supposed to be good, but the influence of the devil, and hell had changed them to evil. All this fighting was a great problem. Every time they died, they would go through a great suffering, and return. And they remembered, too, what they had been through yet never changed their behavior.

It was the same thing again, and again. It seemed nobody was surviving long enough to get to Earth.

Michael, unlike the others, still had all of his goodness. He was shocked at the violence he saw. He witnessed a giant slug grab a plump worm, and eat it alive. He wept hearing its screams, and cries for mercy. But the giant slug had not one bit of sympathy.

It bothered Michael that the two looked alike. Michael made a promise to himself that, one day, he would be an angel again. He also promised that he would do something to free these condemned souls of hell.

Today, the devil was educating the newcomers to hell. They were relatively docile not having been under the influence of the devil himself, or hell for long.

The devil stood in front of a towering wall. This wall had a crude-looking diagram to help explain the thirteen levels of existence. Some thought it should be called the fourteen levels of existence, but the devil argued that the abyss, although it was a real place, was not physical, and was not meaningful to one's idea of existence; therefore, it was not counted while at the same time being counted. The abyss was something as well as being nothing.

Alright, listen up, said the devil. Allow me to explain the thirteen levels of existence.

The devil pointed to the unrefined markings on the wall.

If you want to get to Earth, he said, level two, you must survive hell. You must live your full life, which isn't very long. You only live for one year. If you can survive a year, avoiding being torn apart, or eaten, you go to Earth. I very much doubt it though.

The creatures frowned. The devil continued speaking.

On Earth, level two, said the devil while pointing with a very, very long stick, you must find yourself, and properly develop your personality. After which, you need to fight tooth and nail for the sake of your soul in levels 3 to 7. These are battleground levels. Successfully completed, you get into heaven!

The devil smiled.

If heaven isn't enough for you, he said, you can also become a god, or if you will, a deity. Imagine, all that power, wouldn't it be satisfying? Ah, but you must enter battle again. After heaven, level 8, there are levels 9 to 12. These are the super battlegrounds, where there is war, and fighting like you've never seen it. If you win, you become god, and get to go to level 13. Level 13 are the 'godly grounds.' This is where God rests, where the gods play, and have fun. Simple, no?

Michael interrupted the devil's teaching, and yelled, Only a fool, or maniac would want to become a god! Rest ye in heaven, and you will be happy. Godliness is no guarantee of happiness.

The devil picked up Michael, and stared directly into his eyes.

Michael, said the devil, "you have survived for half a year, but I guarantee you, you will not survive the rest of it. You will